Brothers

Though a remake, Brothers is very much a Jim Sheridan film. The heartfelt anger of In The Name Of The Father returns, as do the family issues of In America. Even Sheridan’s thug-life curveball from 2005, the 50 Cent-starring Get Rich Or Die Tryin’, makes more sense when sat next to Brothers. Though different, both examine the consequences of violence as career choice.

Based on Susanne Bier’s award-winning 2004 Danish film Brodre, Brothers moves the story to America but keeps much the same. Respected soldier Sam Cahill (Tobey Maguire) is about to return to Afghanistan, just as his wayward brother Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal) returns from prison. Tommy’s presence unsettles the Cahill family – his laidback attitude at odds with their military work ethic.

However, when Sam goes missing on his tour of duty, it’s Tommy who surprisingly steps up to help sister-in-law Grace (Natalie Portman) look after her children. A stuttering romance follows until a traumatised Sam unexpectedly returns home, the joy of his miraculous survival tempered by post-traumatic stress. The fragile peace that the family found without him recedes further with each paranoid outburst.

On the plus side, the casting in Brothers convinces. Gyllenhaal and Maguire have long been linked in the public eye, from relationships with Kirsten Dunst to competition for the lead role in Spider-Man. Their depiction as rival siblings has even more of a frisson thanks to the rumours they’ve endured.

Both are renowned for puppy dog performances but Sam’s metamorphosis from family man into aggressor shows Maguire’s other side. The secrets he brings back from battle torment him, the star raging with a cruel passion hitherto unseen in his films. Sam’s pointless destruction of a new kitchen (installed by Tommy) raises the film’s most potent question: how do you cope with cosy domesticity after facing death in war?

There is no answer. The Cahills, perhaps like many, put on their blinkers and eschew aftercare by reiterating the mantra that it’s a ‘family matter’. Breakthroughs never come.

Such bluntness might make Brothers psychologically admirable but with a narrative as bleak as this it’s an arduous watch. What’s more, the relationship between Tommy and Grace heads nowhere. Deliberate no doubt – but it takes performances more surprising than these to make loose ends look attractive.

Brothers works best as a springboard for moral questioning. The male roles offer debates on rehabilitation – after both prison and battlefield – plenty of airtime. Meanwhile Sheridan and screenwriter David Benioff ensure that dramas unfold in dining rooms, driveways and gardens, making the issues seem as everyday as possible.

However, weighty conflict isn’t necessarily the same as distinctive entertainment. It’s a problem that’s faced many issue-led films, from Redacted to Rendition, both of which were unable to find audiences. While Brothers is raw in its realism and loud in its chest-beating, it’s still mechanically cold to watch.

James King

Anticipation:

Slight, but the Jake/Tobey combo is enticing.

Enjoyment:

Tough. It’s all about the issues, yeah?

In Retrospect:

Maguire’s turned up to 11, yet the passion leaves you cold.